Mitali Sengupta’s terrace garden is a frame out of a dream. A green turf under her feet, a fountain as the centrepiece, a cosy tea table and a multitude of plants lining the edges. The garden grows flowers, fruits and vegetables but most of all, it is a space for Sengupta to be close to nature, something she loves. No wonder she does everything from singing to snacking up there.
I grew up among plants. We lived in several parts of Bengal and our homes always had huge gardens attached. I had a favourite branch on an aata tree where I’d carry my books and do my homework. I’d pluck shaal leaves from trees, weave them into plates and eat meals on them. Taal to tomato, I’d pluck everything fresh from our yards.
Such a life is difficult to imagine today but I try to give a glimpse of it to my granddaughter Mahirah now, through my garden.
Dahlias of many hues
I grow flowers like Rose, some 40 shades of Hibiscus, Nag Kesar and Passion Flower. Among fruits are Mango, Guava, Chiku, Jamrul and Malta. This last one I had bought believing it to a Gondhoraj sapling but when the fruit sprouted it turned out to be Malta- big and juicy. There is a special kind of Chilli that smells like ghee and Brinjals so long the vegetables touch the ground from the branches.
I love gifting as much as growing plants and before they bear fruits, I have a list ready of whom to give what. Whenever my daughter comes over I hand her bags of booty to distribute to friends and for her I keep a small packet of aromatic Jasmines to place under her pillow.
My daughter helps beautify and design the garden — with additions like the fiberglass fountain — and my husband, an engineer, builds them. We’ve built some temporary rooms on the terrace too and when we open their doors, can see the stretch of garden from within. It looks beautiful, especially when it rains.
Freshly plucked fruits and vegetables
Being a singer, I record videos of my songs up here. I also hope to shoot cooking videos where I can name an ingredient and pluck the same fresh from the garden to add to the dish.